How often have you seen a film, show, or book have a protagonist who was wronged, then goes on a rampage claiming that they were seeking justice? The main character claims to seek justice when all they are doing is trying to claim revenge. Revenge and justice are two words of completely different meanings and yet are constantly confused for each other. A common question that is asked by people these days is “what is the difference between justice and revenge”? There are many aspects besides the definition of the words that show how different they are, however the strongest answers come from inside a person. In order to find an answer to this question we must look at how each of these words affect people who could be involved. When it comes to people that are looking to gain justice or revenge a big factor that tells what they are looking at a person’s state of mind. A person who is looking for revenge then they will have an irrational state of mind, while a person seeking justice will keep a rational state. However in these irrational states it is common for a person to called their revenge driven actions justice in hopes of making their actions seem right to the public. Revenge is a creature born from emotions, these emotions become so powerful that they cover all your senses and cause you to act irrationally. In Seltzer’s essay “ Don’t Confuse Revenge with Justice” he states “ At its worst, it expresses a hot, overwhelming desire for bloodshed. As perverse as
What is revenge? It can boil a human’s brain and may feel like a scorching sandstorm brewing inside someone’s body. Humiliation, covetousness, dishonesty, and exasperation are all common reasons why the intricate mind of a human being may seek revenge. Of course revenge may satisfy individuals, teach victims the lesson of an eye-for-an-eye, and could very well show others that some people may not back down after being struck in the throat. However, two wrongs do not make a right, a person’s reputation may be permanently stained, and negative emotions will swarm the mind. Throughout “The Cask of Amontillado”, Montresor’s menacing mind is brimming with dark and diabolical thoughts of revenge. Edgar Allen Poe creates an interest for the
Revenge is the action of inflicting hurt or harm on someone for an injury or wrong suffered at their hands. The theme of revenge is used to drive the plot of the story and motivates such characters as Beowulf, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon. But in all, it was Beowulf’s adventure to become an epic hero. In fact, where there is revenge there is vengeance.
Do you think revenge is always misguided, or is it justified in some cases? In some cases I feel that revenge can be justified, but is usually caused by misguided care from the past. Although there are many instances where revenge is misguided, it can also be justified in some cases. The right or wrong opinion is always blind sides someone else’s side of the story which can sometime make it impossible to tell if the actions of revenge were justified or if they were a result of being misguided.
In The Republic, the great philosopher Plato attempts to reveal through the character and dialogues of Socrates that justice is better when it is the good for which men must strive for, regardless of whether they could be unjust and still be rewarded. His method is to use dialectic, the asking and answering of questions. This method leads the audience from one point to another, supposedly with indisputable logic by obtaining agreement to each point before going on to the next, therefore, building an argument.
In Jared Diamond’s New Yorker essay “Vengeance is Ours”, he makes the claim that vengeance is universal and that people in the developed world have lost the satisfaction when we let our disputes be handled by state government. Through two narratives, Diamond shows an example of the satisfaction that comes through personal vengeance, and as well as the dismay that can result from not taking personal vengeance. The story that Jared Diamond introduces about Daniel is about his uncle, who was assassinated from a member of the other Ombal tribe, which puts him deep in a feeling of revenge against the tribe. Indeed, Daniel is obliged to avenge his uncleś death. After a few years and many other deaths, Daniel does manage to get his revenge when his
The word revenge is heard all over the news today. The news shows how people are trying to get revenge such as terrorist groups or individuals harming each other. However, even though the use of the word is frequent, not everyone has a clear understanding of what revenge clearly means. Revenge is defined as someone taking action to harm someone who has done something wrong to that certain person. Bryce Nelson the author of Revenge: Sweet, Universal and Self-Destructive: [Home Edition] stated: “As the victim contemplates revenge, he hopes desperately to overcome his feelings of impotence and to regain his former sense of self-worth” (Nelson 1). This article demonstrated how revenge was human nature by showing an example of someone getting revenge. The examples are demonstrated in definitions, characteristics, stories, and real-life events.
Revenge is a form of retaliation when one has done something unjust towards another person, the victim would do some form of action to inflict misery or pain to the person who committed the crime towards the victim. Revenge is something that is actually looked down by majority of society stating with the usual phrase “two wrongs do not make a right” opposite to the phrase “two wrongs make a right”. Retaliation in this regard is however a common topic of discussion in multiple essays and short stories. [1] In Brady Udall’s short story “He becomes deeply and famously drunk”, the main character spares his father’s killer because the killer was not worth punishment consequently the killer was old and frail, having many misdemeanors that affected
According to Mahatma Ghandi, “An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind”. Revenge is a double-edge sword as it one is placed in a lose-lose situation. In Ed Vega’s short story “Spanish Roulette”, the central character poet Sixto struggles with enacting revenge against his sister’s rapist. In Francis Bacon’s essay, “On Revenge”, he discusses how taking justice into an individual’s hand shouldn’t be tolerated as it goes against the confides of the law of the land. Even though both Vega and Bacon implore the topic of vengeance, and how its integration has played a role in our society, the two offer contrasting views as to the moral ambiguity of revenge, its theoretical versus practical use, and the effectiveness it instills
Revenge is the act of doing something to hurt someone because that person did something that hurt them. People have been getting revenge on others for thousands of years. People usually get revenge to regain power because when someone wrongs them they feel like power has been taken from them. Sometimes people like to go outside of the law to get revenge. This is because they feel like the law is not enough to give the person who wronged them the right amount of punishment for what they have done. “Daddy” by Sylvia Plath, “Sweat” by Zora Neale Hurston, and “Cask of the Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe all show the things they or their characters would do to get revenge on the person that wronged them and the different ways they did it.
Quintessentially speaking, revenge is a thing that many have sought in response to a tragic event unfolding. Typically, as a result, vengeance is contemplated upon by the victim as a means of retribution, a way of making things right and seeking justice on the behest of the victim, if the law will not grant justice through due process due to corrupt forces stemmed deep within it- corrupt seeds of a corrupt plant. Therefore, revenge become an apparent option for those willing to walk that path [of no return]. However, instances of revenge not being attained in the “clear cut” way it is ordinarily acquired have occurred from time to time throughout history. One of the most prominent examples of unconventional revenge attainment can be found within the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, entailing the revenge path walked by its eponymously named main character, Prince Hamlet. Specifically, his intentful delay in attaining his revenge against his uncle Claudius for his direct role in the death of his father, King Hamlet. This literary conundrum has dumbfounded literary critics for over 400 years and counting- due to the fact that a universally accepted consensus amongst them as well as the general public as to why Hamlet delayed his revenge has not yet been reached.
“The best revenge is to not become like the one who wronged you,” said Marcus Aurelius. Revenge shows an evil part of someone that may not be captured at one’s first glance. Something that must be avoided for its immense toxicity. “The Cask of Amontillado” written by Edgar Allan tells a chilling story about how a man Montresor takes revenge on Fortunato for some unknown reason. The essay “Of Revenge” written by Sir Francis Bacon shows the flaws of revenge and how revenge only causes more harm than justice. When a person is wronged, it is not acceptable for that person to take revenge. Revenge is wrong because it hurts that person even more than what that person currently is. “This is certain, that a man consumed with a desire for revenge keeps
According to the article, “Revenge: Will You Feel Better”, written by Karyn Hall Ph.D, revenge is one of the deepest instincts we have. Revenge is a form of establishing justice according to researchers and theorists and that a threat of revenge can be a form of protection to prevent people from causing you harm in the future. “People who have been hurt or betrayed seem to believe without any doubt that if the other party suffers, then they will feel bettertheir emotional pain will lessen,” states Karyn Hall. A test was made to see if people would would feel happier after exacting revenge. The outcome was that every person who exacted revenge felt less happy than in the beginning. This is because, “When people don't get revenge, they tend
The single most destructive force in this world is revenge. An immense amount of wars, murders, division, and hatred is due to the evil that is revenge. There are many famous forms of literature that discuss revenge. One is “Of Revenge” by Sir Francis Bacon. In this essay Bacon explains the evil of revenge and why it shouldn’t be taken. Also, down-playing revenge, Robert Kennedy gave a speech called “A Eulogy for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” Immediately following the death of Dr. King, Kennedy pleads with the African American community and America to forgive this offense instead of taking revenge for King’s murder. The final piece of media that discusses revenge does it in a different manor. Edgar Allen Poe writes about revenge in a short story called “The Cask of Amontillado.” The plot of this story is that of a man named Montresor desperately seeks revenge upon a colleague and eventually murders him by trapping him in catacombs deep underground. No matter what the circumstances, revenge should never be taken because men become controlled and destroyed by revenge, and revenge creates division among people.
Throughout history revenge has been shown as a violent and bloody act, it is likely revenge will survive well into the future, and leave a trail of suffering in its wake. Revenge has always been viewed in many different lights from many different cultures. However, revenge is a reaction to an attack, and an assault is never really a positive. Revenge is not only dangerous to individual’s psyche , it is also detrimental to society and government as a whole, as illustrated in Alexander Dumas’s The Count of Monte Cristo, and in Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
The theme of Revenge has been utilized in numerous works of art throughout history, including books, plays, movies, etc. Revenge is the result of one’s desire for vengeance, however, revenge is known to be implied under high emotions of anger thus not with reason concluding with a horrible outcome. Shakespeare’s play ‘Hamlet’ is no doubt a play about a tragedy caused by revenge; Prince Hamlet’s retribution for his father, King Hamlet’s murder and Laertes vengeance for his father, Polonius’ murder. The theme of revenge in Hamlet is portrayed through various literary techniques such as foreshadowing and irony.